It's that time of year again where we gather with family and friends to give thanks. And believe me, I cannot wait! This year we are able to share our meal with some of our fabulous friends that have moved away... but not from our hearts. All right, enough about me/us… let's get on with this shall we?

In previous years, we talked about what to serve (or not serve) with your Thanksgiving meal. It was basically a general guideline of how to pair wine with one of the most difficult meals of the year. This year, I thought I would elaborate some more by offering you some pairing suggestions from A Taste of Monterey's vast wine inventory.

Let me just start off by saying that by far, the easiest and most stress-free way to tackle the great, 'what am I going to serve?' question, can be covered by purchasing our Monterey Medley Trio or Vintners' Six Mix & Match packs. You choose from 18 premium wines that are perfect for your Thanksgiving feast, or to bring to your family and/or friend's house.

Now, if you would like to make some of your own selections, let's take a look into how A Taste of Monterey can help you. Let's start with sparkling wine… a must for any celebration. We have the 2014 Sofia Blanc de Blancs available in store or online. Sofia is from Francis Ford Coppola's winery and named for his daughter. It also comes wrapped in pink cellophane… perfect for gifting.

Moving on to 'other whites'. As much as it pains me to say, for this particular meal, stay away from Chardonnay. It doesn't play well with the traditional Thanksgiving fare. Focus on lighter wines, such as Pinot Gris/Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewurztraminer and Riesling. A Taste of Monterey carries several different labels that range from $13 to $19, with a couple that are in the $20-$30 range. All of your favorite wineries are represented in this category: Craftwork, Gifft, Noble Vines, Morgan, Bernardus, District 7, Wrath, Joyce and more.

And now, for the reds… Pinot Noir, Grenache and Syrah are your best bets in this category. Unfortunately, Caberenet Sauvignon also falls into the 'not with Thanksgiving dinner, you don't' category. As you know, there is no end to the Pinot Noir selection at A Taste of Monterey, so it is just a matter of preference, favorites and price when it comes to this fabulous wine. Grenache, one of the most widely planted red grape varietals in the world, is represented by Wrath. Syrah, with half of the world's plantings in France, also does well in California, and of course, Monterey County. A Taste of Monterey carries 9 different labels for you to choose from.

Last, but not least, let's not forget about dessert and dessert wine… perfect to have on hand for an after dinner aperitif or to pair with any number of pies that may be served. Of course, A Taste of Monterey's standard favorite port is from Pot Belly Vintners.

So, there you have it… your ultimate wine guide for Thanksgiving 2017!! Eat, drink and have a fabulous Thanksgiving… from our homes and hearts to yours!!